Brewers fans wait in line since dawn for Friday parade

Milwaukee Public Schools will cancel classes this Friday to allow residents to join a victory parade. The event will run through downtown streets and finish at Henry Maier Festival Park near the shore of Lake Michigan.

The Brewers secured their first championship in 58 years on Wednesday night. The team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to end the series in five games. Fans at the stadium in Tampa outnumbered the home crowd and cheered from the stands after the final out.

Thousands of supporters gathered at American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Wednesday. One fan reported standing behind 34,000 other people at 8 a.m. while waiting for rally tickets. A large police force will manage crowds and traffic during Friday's procession.

Michael Maxwell, a judge in neighboring Waukesha County, issued a specific ruling for the celebration. He stated that Brewers attire is considered in compliance with professional decorum for courtroom staff, litigants, and attorneys through the end of the parade.

The small-market team ended a long wait for its supporters. The city remains open for business, but the streets are set to fill with fans who traveled to Tampa or waited in line locally to watch the clinch.

The parade will conclude with a fan fest at the festival park. Police expect heavy traffic as thousands of people converge on the downtown area for the final day of celebrations.